Side pocket mandrels are used extensively in producing oil wells in connection with artificial lift operations such as gas lift. A series of mandrels are spaced vertically in the production string of tubing that extends down into the well, and each mandrel has an offset pocket that is arranged to receive a gas lift valve that can be placed therein, and removed therefrom, through use of a wireline kickover tool. The kickover tool generally has an articulated arm assembly that is pivotally attached to an elongated tray, and an orienting and trigger mechanism that cooperates with a slot and shoulder in a "mule-shoe" orienting sleeve to rotationally orient the arm assembly with respect to the side pocket, and to release the arm assembly to pivot outward so that a flow control device coupled thereto can be inserted into the pocket. Once the flow control is latched in place, the arm assembly is released therefrom to permit the kickover tool to be removed from the well. Various United States Patents which illustrate typical prior devices are 2,824,525, 3,268,006, 3,741,299, 3,802,503, 4,106,503 and 4,106,564. More recent improvements in the art are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,441 and 4,765,403, filed in behalf of one or more of the present inventors.
In this art, reliability of tool performance downhole is of critical importance. Since the mandrel may be located many thousands of feet below the earth's surface, a kickover tool malfunction which results in an inability to set or remove a flow control device can cause very time consuming and costly workover procedures to have to be undertaken. As in many other mechanical arts, reliability of downhole performance is often directly related to the degree of simplicity of tool design, because the number of possible malfunctions usually increases with complexity. Thus there is a continuing need in this art for equipment of simple and reliable design.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved side pocket mandrel having an orienting sleeve and channel construction that provides improved reliability of kickover tool operation and performance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved kickover tool having a unique arm assembly that co-acts with an orienting sleeve and channel in a side pocket mandrel to assure positive and reliable setting and retrieval of a flow control device.